Eternal Fall
by Windfighter
Summary: Pushed out of his sanctuary, Lalli finds himself falling. But a voice reaches him and shows him the way home.


**Warning:** Cold, ice, hugs, fire, I dunno.

Blaming this one on Elleth.

Enjoy!

* * *

Lalli was still falling. His eyes stared straight ahead, he didn't try to stop the fall. He'd land eventually, hopefully safetly.

"LALLI!"

That was new. Lalli still didn't move. Was that Emil's voice? Where did it come from?

"Say something!"

Why could he hear Emil's voice? Was he dreaming again? Technically he was, but not like that. Slowly he turned his head, looked around.

"Anything!"

He could see a light. Was it a spirit? Someone trying to lure him? He twisted his body slightly, shifted around in the fall. Emil's voice was dying out, and Lalli landed on something, stumbled, fell. Had he failed? Had his attempt to protect the messy person not been enough? Were they both dead? He looked around, tried to spot the swan of Tuonela, but nothing. Just that one light.

"...What did you do?"

Emil's voice again, then it disappeared. He was still alive, Emil was still breathing. Lalli got to his feet again, started walking. Was he alive? Was he lost? Was he condemned to walk the Silent World forever? Would Onni be able to guide his soul? He walked towards the light, didn't recognize anything, had never seen that part of the dream world. He stumbled again, his spirit weak after his attempt to protect Emil. How successful had he been? He wanted to know.

Grass under his feet. Trees around him. A fire burning in the middle of the clearing. Lalli blinked, crept closer. It was inviting, safe. Warm. He looked around, tried to spot the owner, but there was no one there. He sank down on the grass, held his hands towards the fire. It felt like home, it felt like he belonged next to it. Warmth raced through his limbs, he felt stronger. Not well, but stronger. Secure. Like Kokko's wings were wrapped around him. Was it Kokko that had given him this refuge? It wasn't impossible.

He was becoming aware of movement beneath him. Beneath his body. He couldn't reach it yet, it was too far away, he was too weak. He was aware of something holding on to it, to him. He closed his eyes, leaned closer to the fire. He was becoming aware of his body again. He didn't know how much time had passed. Would Emil still be there? Still be alive?

"...Help."

Emil's arm was resting on him, but he still couldn't open his eyes, couldn't return to his body. He closed his eyes, laid down on the ground, as close to the fire as he dared. Eventually, he'd wake up eventually. It wasn't time yet. The waves beneath them made him feel uneasy and he was glad he was sleeping, wouldn't have wanted to be awake for this, wouldn't have wanted to get sea sick again. Time kept passing, Lalli tried to keep track of it, but Emil's arm distracted him, Emil's chest distracted him, Emil's body. Was Emil hugging him? Trying to get him warm? He could still feel the warm safety wrapped around him. Was it Emil and not Kokko? He clenched his eyes shut, tried to make sense of it, but he couldn't.

Lalli's eyes opened again. Still not in his body, but there was someone on the other side of the fire now. He looked different in here, relaxed in a way Lalli had never seen him. Lalli didn't move, watched as the wind played with the blond hair on the other side of the fire, watched as Emil's chest rose and sank as he dreamt. Emil. Emil was there. In the dream world. In the sanctuary Lalli had found. Lalli sat up, stretched a hand towards his friend. Emil's voice must have led him here. Emil, who had been calling for him. Emil had led him to safety. He wanted to tell him, shake him awake and thank him.

But if Emil was in the dream world, that meant he was sleeping. Lalli frowned. Had they gotten to safety? Were they back with the others? His fingers played with Emil's hair. Had Emil carried him to the camping spot? No, Emil didn't know the way. That meant they were still out there, still not safe. He placed his hand on Emil's shoulder, shook it. Emil didn't move.

"You have to wake up."

Emil stopped breathing. Lalli tried counting the seconds, but the flow of time was different in here. After what seemed like forever Emil disappeared, left Lalli alone again and Lalli hugged his legs, buried his face in his hands. He was already stronger. Was he strong enough? Slowly he opened his eyes. Emil's arms around him, Emil lying on his back on the ice, Lalli lying on top of Emil. Emil's coat wrapped around Lalli. Emil moved under Lalli, shivered, and Lalli blinked, tried to sit up, but his mind not completely back yet. Emil froze, his grip around Lalli tightened and Lalli blinked again. Movement was returning to his limbs and he turned his head, looked at Emil. Emil looked back at him, his eyes worried, relieved, scared and Lalli shifted again, tried to slid off Emil, but Emil's grip was too firm. Lalli closed his eyes again.

"...something..." Lalli whispered.

Emil blinked, his grip around Lalli lightened. Lalli moved, made himself more comfortable.

"...anything..." he added.

Emil gave a slight laugh, gave Lalli a slight hug, and Lalli flinched, accepted it. Not yet strong enough to move away. But they needed to move, needed to get off the ice. Emil was cold under him, colder than he usually was. Lalli made a new move to sit up.

"The ice..." Emil's voice shivered just as hard as his body. "It won't hold if we move."

Lalli stopped moving again, closed his eyes once more. His voice barely a whisper as he asked the gods for help, as he asked them to push the ice ashore. Emil had saved him, had made him find his way back, had kept him warm while Lalli recuperated. Lalli cuddled closer to Emil, tried to use what heat Emil had given him to heat the messy person back up. He had thought they had died, had thought he'd fall forever, his soul lost in the Silent World.

But Lalli was no longer falling.


End file.
